Peanut Butter Robin Eggs

These peanut butter Easter eggs look like the adorable little surprise you see when you peek into a robin’s nest during the first month of spring. With a peanut butter filling, they’re similar to the beloved Reese’s peanut butter eggs, but a new design (inspired by Crowded Kitchen) brings a pastel blue hue and pretty brown speckle (as on robin eggs!) to the Easter table, fitting right in with other cute Easter treats.

The sweet peanut butter filling has crushed graham cracker crumbs mixed throughout, so there’s plenty of texture, like Reese’s. We coat the outside with a light blue candy coating, then flick watered-down cocoa powder around the outside for the brown speckles. The eggs are picture-perfect, and the peanut butter makes a creamy treat. How perfect would they look arranged in our Easter nest cake?

Peanut Butter Easter Egg Ingredients

• Peanut butter: We recommend creamy peanut butter over crunchy, but go with the latter if you like a lot of texture. Buy one of the best peanut butters that’s of the no-stir variety. Natural peanut butter separates as it sits.
• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature so there aren’t any lumps of butter in the peanut butter dough. If your kitchen is very cold, I recommend cubing or grating the butter so it warms up more easily.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Since this is a no-bake recipe, regular sugar won’t dissolve. We use confectioners’ sugar to sweeten the dough, as it dissolves without heat.
• Graham cracker crumbs: To make graham cracker crumbs, pulse graham crackers in a food processor until fine crumbs form. You could also close the graham crackers in a zip-top bag and smash them with a rolling pin.
• Candy coating disks: Find candy coating disks in the baking aisle of a craft store. The light blue is closest to the color of a robin’s egg. I like to melt a little light green candy coating in mine, too, to get the color even closer to that of a robin’s egg.
• Shortening: The shortening thins the candy coating so it’s more dippable. Plus, it creates a nice shine.
• Baking cocoa: No need to break out your best cocoa powder for this recipe; we’re using it only to make the brown speckled markings similar to those on a robin’s egg. You can’t even taste it!

Directions

Step 1: Mix the peanut butter dough

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the peanut butter, softened butter and vanilla extract until blended. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well combined.

Step 2: Shape into eggs

Scoop the mixture into 16 portions, then shape each into an egg. You can make them 3-D or 2-D, but we prefer the 3-D look a bit more.

Place the shaped eggs on waxed paper-lined baking sheets and refrigerate them until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Dip in the candy coating

In a microwave, melt the candy coating chips and shortening together in quick increments so the candy coating doesn’t burn, about 20 seconds. Stir between each 20-second increment, melting and stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.

Dip the chilled peanut butter eggs in the coating mixture, allowing the excess to drip off so the coating doesn’t create a “foot.” Return the eggs to the waxed paper-lined baking sheets (change the waxed paper if it looks greasy). Refrigerate the coated eggs for 30 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: You can use a fork or a wooden skewer to dip the eggs in the coating.

Step 4: Add the brown speckles

In a small bowl, mix the baking cocoa with 1 tablespoon of water until the baking cocoa is dissolved. Dip a food-safe small paintbrush into the coloring. Using your thumb, flick the bristles back quickly to fleck the eggs with brown speckles. Let the speckles stand until they’re set. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

• Try another nut butter: Instead of peanut butter, use almond, hazelnut, cashew or macadamia nut butter as desired. Just make sure it is the no-stir variety.
• Cover in semisweet chocolate: If it feels like too much work, you don’t have to turn them into robin eggs. Instead, cover the peanut butter Easter eggs with melted semisweet chocolate, as we do in our peanut butter eggs recipe.
• Make them gluten-free: Need to make these celiac-safe? Swap in gluten-free graham crackers for regular ones. Also, make sure all other packaged goods are certified gluten-free.

How to Store Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Store peanut butter Easter eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I like them cold from the fridge, but you can take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before enjoying to bring them to room temperature so they’re a little softer to bite into.

Can you freeze peanut butter Easter eggs?

Yes, you can freeze peanut butter robin eggs. Transfer the eggs to an airtight container, with pieces of parchment or waxed paper layered between the stacks to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to two months. Whenever you’re ready to enjoy, let the egg(s) sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so they can soften—we don’t want to break a tooth!

Peanut Butter Easter Egg Tips

Why is my peanut butter egg dough so soft?

Your peanut butter egg dough may be soft if you used natural peanut butter. Natural peanut butter separates as it sits, making it softer rather than firmer, unlike no-stir peanut butter. If your dough is super soft, refrigerate it for one hour, then work with it again.

Why are my peanut butter Easter eggs breaking when I dip them?

Your peanut butter robin eggs are breaking during dipping because the candy coating is too hot. If the candy coating is hot instead of warm, it’ll melt the filling, causing the eggs to break. Let the coating sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, then try dipping again.

Do you have to use candy coating? Can you use white chocolate and food coloring instead?

You don’t have to use candy coating. You can use white chocolate and food coloring instead, although your food coloring must be oil-based, not water-based. Read all the ingredients on the food dye’s label. Any water will make the white chocolate seize and ruin it. You can successfully mix only oil-based food coloring into chocolate.